~ Especially for Young People ~

If You Go to Sunday School, I'll Shoot You

Mary was brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord when she was only eight years old. A year after her conversion, her father, who was a very wicked man, fell out with the class leader in her church. The following Sunday morning, after Mary had dressed herself to go to church, her father said to her, "Mary, where are you going?"

"I am going to class, Father," replied the little girl meekly.

"You can't go to Sunday school class; I'm going to put a stop to it. You may not go anymore," replied the father in very harsh tones.

"Oh, Father, do please let me go to class. The Lord will be displeased with me if I don't go. You know, Father, that I love you, and try to please you; but I must not displease the Lord."

"If you go to Sunday school, I'll whip you; see if I don't," said the father.

What was the poor little girl to do? She felt that she would sin against the Lord if she did not go, yet if she went, she would displease her father and get a whipping.

The Apostle Paul said, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right," but this wicked old parent was not "in the Lord." Still, he should be obeyed unless he set his authority against that of the Lord. "Honor thy father and thy mother" is the law, but a child can never do that by dishonoring God. Mary clearly saw that her father's command was in opposition to God's commands, and that it was her duty to "obey God rather than men." But what could Mary do, a little girl of only nine summers, when her father said, "If you go to class, I'll whip you"?

In the midst of her tears she said, "Father, I would rather take a whipping than offend the Lord. I am your little girl, and you know that I want to be good."

That should have moved a father's heart, but it only enraged him the more, and in a most violent tone he said, "You saucy imp! If you go to Sunday school, I'll shoot you."

"Well, Father," said Mary, "I would rather be shot than sin against the Lord"; and then immediately she started on her way to class.

The wicked father followed her outside and struck her with a branch of a thorn bush; but she went on, and he returned to the house.

When Mary returned with her heart full of the love of Jesus, her mother met her at the gate and said, "Oh, Mary, don't go in. Your father loaded the gun, and I am afraid he will shoot you."

The mother wept but did not try to restrain her from going in the house. She went in singing one of her sweet hymns, for she had a melodious voice.

As she sang, her father called, "Mary, come in here." Immediately she obeyed, expecting to be shot by her enraged father. She had a martyr's spirit, as everyone ought to have, and was not afraid to die. When she reached her father, he said, "Mary, that is a very pretty song. Sing some more." Then, overcome with emotion, he said as he dropped on his knees, "Mary, will you forgive your wicked, old father?"

"Oh, yes, Father," exclaimed Mary as she put her arms around his neck, "I forgive you with all my heart."

"Mary, pray for me!" said he. "Oh, pray that God will forgive my sins."

She knelt by his side and prayed with tears streaming from her eyes and the wicked father received into his heart the same Savior whom Mary so loved and served.

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